Beet-harvester.



e. LANG.

BEET HARVESTER. ALPPLIOATIQH FILED APR IE 1909.

v Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

s SHEETS-SHEET 11 I INVENTOR BY I ATT NEY' WITNESSES:

E. LANG. BEET HABVESTEB.

' APPLIOATIOK FILED APR. 15, IQOQ.

Patntd Feb.21,1911'.

wnuisszs:

E. LANG. BEET HARVESTER.

APPLICATION IIVLED APB..15, 1909.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911,

' a sums-smnw s.

? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

I EDWARD LANG, or KocHvr'LLE, MICHIGAN.

BEET-HARWESTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Feb. 21, 1911.

Application filed April 15, 1909. Serial No. 490,122.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LED ARD LANG, acit-izen of the United States, residingat Kochville, in the county of Saginaw and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Beet-Harvesters; and I do hereby declaret'he following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to whichit apper'tains tofmake and-use theisame. I

My invention relates to harvesters for root crops of all kinds, but is principally designed for harvesting sugar beets, and belongs to that. type wherein the beets are topped before they are removed from the ground.

Heretofore it'has been customary to provide a pair of plows arranged at an angle to each other. It isassumed that the, points or toes of the plows will pass beneath the bulge of the beets in order-that theinclined upper edges of the plows engaging the bulge may liftor case the beets upward out of the ground. Viewed from a practical stand point, however, this arrangement does not operate 1n all cases. Beets grow best in a stiff clayey soil whichxopposes considerable resistance to the passage of a plow. Furthermore, beets are harvested in the fall and the weather conditions are often such as to i I convertthe fields into a muddy bog,or else the-ground is baked hard. From my experience, I have found. that under normal weather conditions, the earth is mellow immediately surrounding the beet, but at a little distance is hard and unyielding. Beets may also grow high above or deep into the ground, and-aharvester must bedesigned- Furthermore, beets are of different sizes, so that it is impwibledo devise a' pair of lifting plows which will neither pass entirely by the small beets nor mutilate the large beets.

The object of my invention is the aprovision of a lifting mechanism ,wh'ich-is adjustable for beets of different sizes and one which will yield without breaking, in the.

'event that it engages an obstruction.

To this and other ends, therefore, my invention consists in certain novel features and combinations of parts. such as will be more fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the'claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1' is a top plan view of my invention, Fig; 2

. is a rear end view thereof, parts being omit ted to better disclose the construction, Fig. 3 is a side view, Fig. 4 is adetail sectional view of the spading wheel, Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the, spading wheel and connected mechanism. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the plate of the spading wheel. Fig. 7 is a detail vie of the cam for actuating the blades-or spades.

In my invention'I lift a strip of ground including the beets. After the machine has passed along a row, it will appear as though a trench had been dug and filled in with loose earth, the ground" surface showing that it has been broken, not as though-by a plow, but as though by spades.

earth around and containing the beets, prac- 1 tically by the spadeful, and dump such earth and beets commingled, into a screen whereby the loose earth is permitted to fallback into the hole from which it was removed,- while the beets are tossed into a suitable receptacle, all of which is accomplished mechanically. Y

More particularly, my invention consists in the provision of a series of pairs of spade members traveling in acircl'e and adapted to take into the ground at an angle, the members a each pair' converging toward. each other just as though .t-wo me'n with spades were to dig'into the ground on opposite sides of a stand of beets to raise the stand. Mechanism is provided to ele vate the pairs of spade members with the material clamped between the members and 'whenit has attained a s'ufiicient height, to cause the members to release the material which drops into a screen. There the beets are separated from the earth. the earth drop To ac. complish the lifting of the beets, I'prefer to provide means which actually. raise theping through the screen to the ground,

Referring to the drawings, A indicates a horizontalframe. preferably rectangular in shape. and provided with, suitable cross braces 1, 1. The lifting mechanism is carried by the framea'nd in order to'provide means for permitting the transportation of the harvesterfrom place to place and maintain the parts out of operation. I provide the bridges 2, 2,1nounted 'on' the longitudinally extending members of the frame, a'shaft 3 1 being, journaled on the bridges, the shaft carrying gears 4, t meshing with racks 5,

on the, vertical standards 6, 6. These standards intermediate their ends, are received'in I adapted to receive several coils of a cable 13,

my invention.

Whose oppositeend'is; secured to a windlass 14 mounted on a crank 15 journaled on the frameA. The weight of the lifting mechanism tends to draw the frame down relative to the traction wheels, and the depth to which the spades of the lifter shall enter the ground may be adjusted by the cable and Windlass. When it -is' desired to .trans ort the machine from placeto place, the cab e is wound on the Windlass. This operatesto unwind the cable on the drum, which imparts motion to the shaft in such direction as to cause the gears to climb the rack and raise the liftin and topping mechanism above the surface 0% the ground. Any suitable mechanism, as a ratchet and pawl, may be em ployed to prevent accidental unwinding of the Windlass when the machine is in adjusted position. This means being old and well known and forming no part of my invention,is not shown. It is also obvious that the Windlass and crank may be arranged otherwise than as shown, without departing from My lifting mechanism consists broadly in the provision of a rotatable member on which is circularly arranged a series of pairs of blades or spades, the individual members of each pair-being arranged opposite one another. These. spades are adapted for a swinging movement toward and from each other. When the spades are being inserted in the ground, means are provided whereby they are swung toward each other on two op- The spades sink into the ground on converging -planes and are maintained in this constrictin'g position as they are drawn laterally out of the ground. This operation causes the.

spades to grip the earth and the therein-con tained beets and raise the earth as the rotatable member revolves. When the spadeful atsections 23, 23 fastened together in any suitable manner. Concentric with the outer rim is an inner sectional rim 25 formed in an ex-- actly similar manner. The concave inner faces of the sections 23 of the outer rim are recessed as at 26, at points radially opposite to similar recesses 27 on the convex faces of the sections of the inner rim. These recesses are adapted to receive the outer and inner edges respectively, of radially extending plates 28. Parallel studs 29, 29 arranged in pairs project from one side face of these plates, the outer free ends of the studs being received in recessed bosses 30, 30, formed on the backs of the plates next adjacent thereto.

The roots of the studs are equipped with similar bosses 30, such bosses being round and having their outer faces'lying parallel with the outer faces of the bosses on the backs of the next plates. The studs and bosses coiiperate to form parallel sided jour nals for the reception of the bearing boxes 31, 31, carried by the inner adjacent ends of the bars .32, 32, such bai'sbeing preferably resilient to permitthe spades carried thereby to give, in case they impinge against a stone or by reason of any other strain. The-0p posite inner corners of the lates are pro vided with cars 24, 24-, to which'are secured the outer sides of the diverging sp'pkes 33, 33,

the inner ends of the spokes being secured inany suitable manner to a'hub 34, fast on a shaft 35, the opposite ends of the shaft being suitably journaled in a stationary portion 36 of the frame.

From the foregoing, it-is plain that I have devised what I may term a wheel, consist-- ing of an innerrim anda concentric outer;

rim, the annular space between which is sep arated into compartments by means of the 1 plates 28-. The opposite sides'of the plates project past the planes of the rims, which retain the plates in position, and the studs 29 project from those portions of the sides of the plates which project beyond the plane of the outer rim.

The spades arecarried by the bearings 31, 31, such spades each consisting of a normally vertically extending substantially fanshaped blade 37, having a laterally extending base'38 seated on the bearing, a brace 39 extending from the base to the blade intermediate its ends to afford strength and to prevent the blade from buckling or bending.

These spades are arranged in pairs,"the in-.

wider at their outer than at their inner ends, y

are permitted a movement toward each other from their parallel positions, such movement being limited only by the contact of their inner faces with the'opposite side edges of the outer rim, the blades extending some distancebeyond the outer rim. ward or divergentmovement of the blades The out- 7 is limited by a pair of runners i0, 40, extending longitudinally of the frame, such runners resting on the ground on the opposite sides of the spading wheel and operating to support the machine when in operation. As one means for automatically effecting the swinging movement of the individual members of each pair of blades toward and from each other, I p1 ovide the circularly arranged series of bars 32, 32, the inner ends of which are secured to the'bearing boxes. These bars pass through radial slots in guide members 41'fast on the shaft and located adjacent the stationary portions 36 of the frame. The'outer ends of the oppositely extending bars are equipped with rolls 4:2, 42 received in a cam groove 43 'formed'in the portions 36 eccentrically of the shaft 35. The shape of the cam groove is illustrated more particularly in Fig. 7 and its position with-reference to the frame is shown in- Fig: 3. The rolls and bars move relatively to the cam groove in which the rolls, travel, andthe groove is so'positioned relative to the wheel that, asithe wheel rotates, in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, and just before the blades are aboutto' strike the earth, the successive rolls engage the curved portion w of the groove, which-causes the bars to assume the horizontal position 7 shown atthe bottom'of- Fig. 5, thereby inclinin'g the blades inward, whereupon the weight of the machine forces the blades into the ground on opposite sides of the stand of.-

beets, just as a spade is forced into the ground-by the foot of the operator; The blades are held in their inclined positions,

embracing a wedge-shaped spadeful of earth is deposited on the screen.

carrying the blades are guided in their latand beets, which spadeful is raised as the wheel rotates until it is held above a screen, at which time the rolls successively pass into the widened portion 4 of the'groove which causes the bars toassume the angular position shown in the upper part of Fig. 5, which operates to throw the blades apart, whereby. the spadeful of earth and beets The bars 32 eral movement by the slots in the guide members 41 on the shaft 35. The strain on the cam groove is brought to bear on that part indicated at m and in order that new parts, if necessary, may be substituted from time to time as desired. I make this section on of the frameremovable. If it is'desired to vary the angle at which the blades" will be set, asection having a groove formed on more or less of a parabolic curve, can'be in- .serted and fastened inplace in any suitable manner., The rolls, as they traverse the groove, are dra a out of or forced into the groove, the rolls when holding the blades in inclined position, abutting the back of the groove. The groove is wid'ened at the part indicated at y, to afford pl y te the blade whereby stones'or other substances which may become wedged between the longitudi-v nal edges of the blades, are released and in this connection scrapers of any suitable design (not shown) maybe employed to scrape theblades free from mucky soil, clay or dirt.

It isobvious that, as the circularly, arranged blades are set closely together and successively cut into the soil, they will, in

effect, dig a continuous trench coincident with the rows of beets.

Obviously, my invention can be used for harvesting other root cropsbesides beets and.

it is evident that changes might be made in the form and arrangement of the several 8'0 parts described, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention,

what I claim as new, is

1. A harvester for root crops comprising a fran1e, a lifter carried by the frame, the

lifter consisting of a shaft journaled in the frame, a spading wheel fast on the shaft,-

the wheel comprising inner and outer concentric rims, plates radially disposed'in the backs of the respective plates, thefree ends of the studs receivable in the bosses, other bosses atthe root's of'the studs, the outer facesof the bosses at the roots of the studs lying parallel with the outer faces ofthe bosses on the back of the next adjacent plate,

bearings received on the respective studs, blades mounted on the bearings, and means for oscillating the bearingsto move the pairs of blades toward and from eachothe'r.

2. A harvester for root crops consisting of 1 a frame, a liftercarried' by the frame, the

lifter comprising an inner rim, a sectional outerrlm concentric therewith, plates interpesed bet-ween the inner and outer rims, studs carried by the plates, the studs .ar-

ranged in pairs, bearings on the studsblades on the bearings, and means for oscillating the bearings. to move the blades toward and from each other.

3. A harvester for root crops consistingof a frame, a lifter carried by the frame} the lifter comprising a shaft. a rotatable mem ber fast on the shaft, annularly arranged series of rods projecting toward the member from opposite sides thereof, the adjacent ends of the rods being pivotally connected "with the member, blades carried by the rods, and slotted guides on the shaft, the rods projecting through the slots, the opposite sides of, the. frame having cam grooves formed therein, the outer ends of the rods received .in the groovest'.

-4.- A harvester for root crops consisting of a frame, a lifter on the frame, the lifter comprising a rotatable rim, pivotally supported blades arranged in pairs, the individual members of each pair located on opposite bers toward each other, and runners carried by the frame and lying opposite the outer faces of the blades to limit their movement away from each other.

5. A root harvester comprising traction wheels. a frame supported thereby, a shaft journaled in the frame independent of the tractionwheels, a spading wheel on the shaft, the frame provided with cam grooves relative to which the spading wheel rotates, circular. series of rods arranged in opposed pairs, the adjacent ends of the opposed pairs of rods pivotally secured to the spading wheel. the opposite ends of the rods received and fra veling in the cam grooves, and spades mounted on the rods;

6. 'A. root harvester comprising a frame, a spading wheel rotatable relative to the frame, the fralne'provided with cam grooves, circularly arranged series of rods arranged in pairs end to end, the inner adjacent ends of the rods being pivotally secured to the wheel, the outer ends of the rods received and traveling in the respective cani grooves,

and spades mounted adjacent the inner ends of the respective rods.

7. A root harvester comprising ,a frame, a spading wheel rotatable relative to the frame, spades pivotally mounted in opposed pairs relative to the wheel, the spades overlying each other, the outer ends of the spades lying in rear of their pivotal supports, and means for moving the spades toward and from each other.

8. A root harvester comprising a frame,-

a spading wheel rotatable relative to the frame, the frame provided with cam grooves, circularly arranged series of rods arranged in pairs end to end, the inner adjacent ends of the rods being pivotally secured to the wheel, theouter ends of the rods received and traveling in the respective cam grooves,

slotted guides through which the rods pass,

and spades mounted adjacent the inner ends of the respective rods- 9. A root harvester comprising a frame, a shaft journaled in the frame, a spading wheel on the shaft, the frame provided with cam grooves on opposite sides of the wheel, which grooves are arranged eccentrically relative to the shaft and are of oval shape, the major axes of which grooves extend at an angle to the horizontal, the walls at one point in the grooves being spaced farther apart from each other than throughout the remainder of the grooves, circularly arranged series of oppositely extending rods, the inner ends of which are pivotally secured to the spading wheel, the outer ends of the rods received and traveling in the respective cam grooves, and spades mounted on the rods.

10. A root harvester comprising a frame, a shaft journaled in the frame, a spading wheel on the shaft, the frame provided with cam grooves on opposite sides of the wheel, which grooves are arranged eccentrically relative to the-shaft-and are of oval shape, the major axes of which grooves extend at an-angle to the horizontal, a portion of the frame in which each cam groove is formed beingremovable, circularly arranged series of oppositely extending rods, the inner ends of which are pi 'otally secured to the spading wheel, theQouter ends of the'rods received and traveling in the respective cam grooves, and spades mounted on the rods.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, EDWARD LANG.

Witnesses:

RALPH S. WARFIELD, Cnnrsrmn A. BRAIDEL. 

